Data storage systems are used to store large amounts of information. A data storage system typically includes a read/write head for retrieving and storing information. Some data storage systems use rotating storage devices, such as rotating optical devices (e.g., CD and DVD drives) or hard disk drives containing rotating magnetic disks (also referred to as platters or media). In some such data storage systems, a suspended slider supports the head. The slider provides mechanical support for the head and the electrical connections between the head and the rest of the data storage system.
When the data storage system is in operation, the recording medium (e.g., a hard disk in a hard disk drive) rotates at high speeds, and the slider floats a small distance above the recording medium. Components of the data storage system move the slider and, therefore, the head to a desired radial position over the surface of the rotating medium, and the head reads or writes information. The slider rides on a cushion or bearing of air or gas created above the surface of the medium as the disk rotates at its operating speed. The slider has an air-bearing surface that faces the medium. The air-bearing surface is designed to generate an air-bearing force that counteracts a preload bias that pushes the slider toward the medium. The air-bearing force causes the slider to fly above and out of contact with the medium.
To improve the areal density capacity of a data storage system, it is desirable to reduce the distance between the slider and the recording medium. As the distance between the slider and recording medium decreases, however, the data storage system becomes more susceptible to the effects of contaminants, such as particulate matter and/or lubricant droplets that can become trapped between the air-bearing surface and the medium. These and other contaminants, generally referred to herein as particles, can scratch or otherwise damage the medium.
Thus, there is an ongoing need for slider designs that improve robustness to particles.